Apparatus for assembling multiple part egg containers and the like



Oct. 28, 1952 s BERGSTElN 2,615,378

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MULTIPLE PART EGG CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 22, 19 48 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

'Zmventor 5401051. BEIFGSTEIIV,

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(lttornegs.

- wherein a-plurality of' container parts are assembled-one inside thepthe co APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLlNG "MULTIPLE PART EGG CONTAINERS AND HE LIKE Samuel Bergstein, Cincinnati, Ohio Original application May 22, 1948, Serial No; 28,705, now Patent No, 2,571,408, dated October 16, 1951. Divided and this application November14, 1950, SerialNo. 195,559

Claims. (oi. 93-37 My invention relates to cellular cartons which are made up and stored and shipped in knocked down, partially assembled condition.

It is an object of my invention to produce a simple, knock-down cellular container which may be made rapidly by machinery and which.

will require only the simplest manipulation by the user to erect it and make it ready for the reception of. the articles to be packed.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a knock-down cellular container comprising .an

.outer band member and an inner partitioning element of double thickness, the parts being adhesively secured together in assembled condition by means of apparatus in which advantages in economy are attained, especially in the elimination of expensive hand manipulation ordinarily accompanying the assembly of such containers.

It is another object of my invention to produce containers of this character rapidly and inexpensively, solely by means of relatively simple and inexpensive machinery.

These and other objects of my invention which will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated a preferred'blank for forming the outer band element of an egg container which may be assembled on my apparatus. It comprises front wall I, bottom forming portions 2 I and 3 separated by ridge-forming portions 4 and 5, vrear wall 6, cover portion 1, and closure flap 8 havinga plurality of retaining tongues 9, all

in the order named. Front wall I is hingedly connected to bottom portion 2 by score line It, while score lines II and I2 hingedly connect portions 4 and 5 to bottom portions 2 and 3 respectively. Score line l3 serves to connect the two ridge-forming portions, while the score lines 14, I5 and I6 hingedly connect members 3, 6, 1 and 8 respectively. Bottom portions 2 and 3 have longitudinally spaced transverse slots" l1 and may be further configured by spaced bisecting lines of out It, which serve as cushions for the gs. Longitudinal stripes of adhesive are indicated at [9, 20 and 2|, which, in accordance with my invention, are applied to the band element while it is in blank condition and beforethe inner drawing, wherein an exemplary embodiment of my invention is illustrated as follows:

@Figurel is a plan view of the outer band or shell element of my container in blank condi- -.tion. Figure 2 is a plan view of the inner partition element in blankcondition.

Figure. 3 is .a plan view showing the inne partition element-after folding and gluing along its median line of articulation.

Figure. 4 is .an end elevation of the. erected carton illustrating .the completed carton in erected condition. I

; Figure 5 is a plan view of my apparatus illustrating how theinner element is registered and secured to the outer band.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatical side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 5 taken along the line 6--6 of that figure. l

' Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the ;-line 1-1 of Figure 6.

.Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-.8 of Figure '7.

In its usual embodiment, my container com- .prises'two rows ofsix compartments each. It will be understood, however, that I am not limited to egg containers of this size, or for that matter, to egg containers at all, as my invention may be employed to provide other types of containers to be .of my container.

partition element is associated with it in the assembling operations, as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

In Figure 2, I have illustrated a preferred blank for forming the inner partition element It is composed of like halves. corresponding members of which have been given corresponding numerals in the drawings. To

avoid confusion, the numerals referring to one-. I half the blank have been primed to distinguish them from their unprimed counterparts. Thus .the partition element comprises glue laps 22 and 22' hingedly connected by score line 23 and 23' to horizontal partition panels 24 and 24' cut and scored to provide a plurality of transverse partition-members 25 and 25'. Vertical partition elements 26 and26 are hingedly connected to. the

opposite edges of partition panels 24 and 24' by score lines 21 and 21. The halves are articulated to, one another by a common line of score 28.. Transverse partition members 25 and 25' have triangular portions cut from their innersides as indicated at 29 and 29', while 30 indi-.-

cates a coating of adhesive applied to partition member 28.

- The innerv partition element is seen in Figure 3 as it appears after having been folded along score. line 28. .The partition halves have been "brought into face to facerelation with adhesive coated "vertical partition members 26 firmly adhered'to the opposed vertical partition 25'.

operation may-be performed by any ordi- 28 whereby the adhesively coated vertical partition element 26 is bro-ught-into'contact with r-ver v tical partition member 26'. Pressure 'maythen be applied by means of rollers to secure a firm bond between the glued members. The' partition element is then in condition to beassociated with the outer band element by. ratus.

The completely assembled tainer is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings;

means 5 of my app and erected con- Y and as can be seen, the lower edge of thedoubIe thickness, central partition is nested between and *a'dhesively' "secured to 3 the rib forming} portions 4 and -5,'while the glue laps-'22 andZZf -are'adhesiv'ly secured -to the upper edges of the-" wan 'ndembers land-5 of the outer band.

The mechanism whereby theinnerpartition is "associated with-the outer 'bandisiillustrated in Figures 5 through '8of'the' drawings. The cut and scored outer band blanks "-ar'efe'd crosswise onto" a pair of moving chains 3l by any suitable feed'means (not shown) and each 'blank 'is engaged along its'trailing edge by aligned'dogs or" lugs '32 projecting" upwardly from the moving '-chains. The chains 3! are'spaced'laterally"of each other so that the-dogs 32 will-engage'the trailing edges of the bottom forming-portion 3 f'and the rear wall 6, respectively. "It may be found necessary in some instances to"ad'd-an additional chain '33 having' 'dogs' 34 and moving in sequence with thechains -fl to keep thebla'nks in proper alignment as they move through the nia'chine. Guide rails 35 and"36 may be provided "to maintain the blanks inproper" position and prevent them I from skewing to one side.

A "As the blanks move along on chains 3i and-33 V, theyfirst pass beneath glue roller- '37 fedby ihter- "mediate rolls "38 and"'39 from glue' pot' d fl. T Supporting rolls M are provided beneath glue-roll 31'' to provide a firm contacting surface over which the blanks pass, The gl'u rollers '31 "pply to the blanks the 'thre I'QQZUand 2|. v Y

I Afterreceiving the g'lue str'i'pes, the"blank" is e longitudinal i glue "stripes next passed beneath hopper 42 filled with folded and glued inner partition elements indicated generally at 33. The hopper-is'positioried so'th'at the partition elements are supported above b'ottom portion3 and rear walhfio'f' theouter band With articulated edge '28 of the *maermarnum "lying directly above median score'ime ra'or the outer band element. The partit onemmemsgam,

retained in theho'pp'er 62 by m e'ans of the" n'gular rails 44 and'45,'r'ailB l terniinating 'atthe ferward edge of "the hopper while rail "4 5 -eiit'ends ybn d the ribpper to 'rtaifithYiee "buter 'dges l l I-, p" 7 are r'a ed slightly "to expose the end ledges 6i lowermost partiuon'eiement in -t'he' stack.

The front 'and rear'waHsof the hopof the paititionelements"aftr eiftractlbn ffdln;

The partition elements, as will be evidentf are '"'X tracted from 'the'hopper by means of dogs 32,

I openings provided therein'to engage the exposed,

The forward motion of the dogs carries the partition element forward, moving it from beneath position at all times is directly above, although not fully in contact with, bottom portion 3 and- -rea'r -wall 6 of the outer band blank. However, as'the inner' partition element is withdrawn from the hopper, its leading edge will have a tende'ncy to sag, i. e. bend downwardly so as to touch theouter band. Rail 45 will prevent the free loiiter edgeslof the'jpartition element from doing thisj but the; closed bottom edge 28 is free to sag .sandlwill come into contact with the band at a. point adjacent score line l3. As soon as the partition element moves out completely from under the hopper, its bottom edge 28 will drop (into the outer'bandas itsis 'no longer'partially supported by the :rail 44. Thus, at this point, the partition element flies'slightly' inclined'with its entirebottom edgeresting on glue' stripe 20 of'ithe'outer:band:aadjacent"score lines l3 and with its outerffree"='edges supported 'above vthe iouteriband by thewangular rail which prevents the undermost glue lap 22' from touchingthe glue stripe 2|. Whilein this condition a sweep 46*engagesnthe underside of bottomrmemb'er 2 and folds it over onto the partition along :the score line l3,:thereby causing' thefolded'edge 28 of the partition and the adjacent areas to contact the glue stripeJZU-and hence bond tori'dgeforming portions dand 25. This action 'is 'best -illu'strated'in Figurerii wherein outerzband portions 1 and '2-are shown partially folded over the inner partition element by action of sweep 46. Guide rail lfr'stillzholds thefree outer'edges' of thepartition element free'from contact with the outer band c and also serves as a means toforce the opposite closed edge "of the partitionfirmly :in'to'the crotch. formed by folding the outer band 'onltl'ie'sl'iore line'l3. z

When the partition-element passes the endsof guide "rail"- 45-, the free outer edgesrof the partition will dropdown onto the outer .band with :the under or lowermostsideof'rthe partitiono'ontactin underlyingv .portions of the band. Glue lap 22' will fall onto glue stripe 2|, and at-the 5 same time panell carrying; glue stripe i I 9 will be folded down upon-."gliu'e=1ap 22';by;sweep 46. Pressure rollers '41 are provided at-"T'the'pnd of 'the= sv. eep 46 to press' the" elements firmly:to-

gether, thus causingiagood'surface: bond between *the adhesive stripes "and the glue laps.

The resulting structure is a-"completelyia'ssembled carton, which when erectedj willcappearfas -shown in'FigureA of the'l'drawingswhereinithe -collapsed' outer 'bandhas been expanded and the transverse partition members folded downwardly into" place and locked inthe 'slots l1 in the bot "tom portions of the outerband. It will be understo'od 'that"the 'iteachings embodi'ed in my: invention" may be adapted -to containers of various types whereinit is desired to as'sociate an'inner' element with-. an outer'enelosing element in substantially t'he' manner adescribed.

Modifications may, of course, be made in my 'inventi'on without'departing from the spirit of 1 it. :Having described -my f invention in 1 an -:exemplary embodiment, what? I claim as new and de sire :toxsecure by-Lette'rs Patent is:

-rearzedge of; the1,1owermost partition element. prising an outenriband l andi-c'aninnerapartition 12 In -apparatus:for assemblingcontainerscomtrailing edges of the outer band blanks, a hopper positioned above the path of travel of said blanks and adapted to contain said inner partition elements, said hopper having angular guide rails paralleling the path of travel of said blanks and arranged to position the lowermost partition element in said hopper in the path of travel of said lugs, glue applying means for applying predetermined longitudinal glue stripes to said outer band blanks, said hopper being positioned to align said partition elements to overlie said glue stripes, one of said guide rails extending beyond said hopper so as to retain one edge of each inner partition element suspended above the underlying blank after the elements have been withdrawn from the hopper, whereby one edge at least of each partition element is maintained out of contact with an underlying glue stripe while the opposite edge of each partition element is in contact with another of said glue stripes, and means for folding said outer band blanks about the last mentioned edge of said partition element while said first mentioned edge is maintained out of contact with said blank. 7

2. In a device for assembling multiple part containers comprising an outer band and an inner partition element, means for moving outer band blanks in a predetermined path of travel including engagement means for engaging the trailing edges of said outer band blanks, means positioned abov'e'said moving means for retaining a quantity of inner partition elements, guide means on said retaining means for positioning the lowermost inner partition element in the path of travel of said engagement means, whereby said engagement means contacts the rear edge of said lowermost partition element and moves it from said retaining means, glue applying means for applying longitudinal glue stripes to said outer band blanks being positioned ahead of said retaining means, said retaining means being positioned to align said inner partition elements with said glue stripes, one of said guide means having an extension extending beyond said retaining means so as to retain one edge of inner partition elements suspended above the underlying blanks after the said partition elements have been withdrawn from the retaining means, whereby one edge of said inner partition elements is maintained out of contact with an underlying glue stripe while the opposite edge of the partition elements falls onto an underlying glue stripe, and sweep means for infolding portions of said outer container blank about the last mentioned edge of the inner means for moving container blanks in a predetermined path of travel, said means comprising a pair of chains moving in timed relationship and have aligned lugs for engaging the trailing edges of the container blanks, a hopper positionedv above the path of travel of said blanks and adapted to contain elements to be associated with 6, said container blanks, said hopper including angular guide rails paralleling the path of travel of said blanks'and arranged to position the elements in the hopper in the path of travel of said lugs, adhesive applying means for applying adhesive to predetermined areas of said blanks, one of said guide rails extending beyond said hopper a distance sufficient to retain an edge of the ele-v ments suspended above the under-lying blanks as the elements are withdrawn from the hopper. whereb one edge at least of each element is maintained out of contact with an adhesive area on the under-lying blank while the opposite edge of the element is brought into contact with an adhesive area on the blank, means for folding the blank about the last mentioned opposite edge of the element, and means beyond said extending guide rail for pressing said first mentioned edge of the element into contact with an under-lying adhesive area on the container blank as the said first mentioned edge passes beyond said extending guide rail.

4. In apparatus for assembling multiple part carton structures, means for moving one of said parts in a predetermined path of travel, means for providing predetermined areas of activated adhesive on said first mentioned part, means for positioning another of said parts in the path of travel of said first mentioned part, said moving means including means for engaging and registering said second part with said first part for joint movement, means for suspending at least one edge of said part out or contact with an adhesive area of said first part during their initial joint movement while the opposite edge of said second part is brought into contact with an adhesive area on said first part, means for folding a portion of said first part about the last mentioned edge of said second part, and means beyond said edge suspending means for pressing the edge of the second part intocontact with the under-lying adhesive area of the first part upon release of said edge by said suspending means.

5. An apparatus for assembling multiple part carton structures, means for moving one of said parts in a predetermined path of travel, glue applying means for applying glue to predetermined areas of said first mentioned part, means for positioning a second part in the path of travel of said first mentioned part, means in connection with said moving means for engaging and registering said second part with said first part for movement therewith, means for suspending at least one edge of said second part during initial joint movement of said parts, means for folding a portion of said first part about the last men-,

tioned edge of said second part, said suspending means being adapted to release said suspended edge of said second part as said first part is infolded, and means for bringing the released edge of said second part into contact with. an

under-lying area of adhesive'on said first part.

SAMUEL BERGSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 3

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

